Last Updated April 2009

Contents

17 / LEGAL SERVICES
17.1 / Advice……………………..…….…………………………………... / 2
17.1.1 / Provision of Legal Advice...………..……………………………………………… / 2
17.2 / Bylaws……………………………..………………………………… / 2
17.2.1 / Enactment……….……………..…………………………………………………… / 2
17.2.2 / Enforcement…………………….…………………………………………………. / 3
17.3 / Litigation………………...………………………………………….. / 3
17.3.1 / Civil……….…………………………………………………………………………. / 3
17.3.2 / Commercial…………………………………………………………………………. / 4
17.3.3 / Criminal……………………………………………………………………………… / 4
17.3.4 / Debt Recovery……………………………………………………………………… / 5
17.3.5 / Precedent Cases…………………………………………………………………… / 5
17.4 / Management of Legal Activities…..…………………………….. / 6
17.4.1 / Agreements.………………………………………………………………………… / 6
17.4.2 / Conveyancing………………………………………………………………………. / 6
17.4.3 / Copyright……………………………………………………………………………. / 7

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17.5 / Planning Controls.…...……………………………………………. / 7

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17.5.1 / Certificate of Lawful Use or Development……..………………………………… / 7
17.5.2 / Section 106 Agreements…………………………………………………………... / 8

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17 LEGAL SERVICES

17.1 Advice

17.1.1 Provision of Legal Advice

SERIES / RETENTION PERIOD / AUTHORISATION / NOTES
STATUTORY / RECOMMENDED

17.1.1.1

/ Process of providing legal advice on a point of law / CD + 6 / 1) Limitation Act , 1980
2) Records Management Society Local Government Classification Scheme (Consultation v 2.01), 2006 / Major precedent offer to archives

17.2 Bylaws

17.2.1 Enactment

SERIES / RETENTION PERIOD / AUTHORISATION / NOTES
STATUTORY / RECOMMENDED

17.2.1.1

/ Process of making local laws
- Master set of bye-laws
- Policy development documents
- Correspondence
- Submissions / Permanent / Records Management Society Retention Guidelines for Local Authorities, 2003 / Offer to archives

17.2.2 Enforcement

SERIES / RETENTION PERIOD / AUTHORISATION / NOTES
STATUTORY / RECOMMENDED

17.2.2.1

/ Process of administering and enforcing bye-laws
- Applications and certificates
- Permits
- Licences
- Infringement notices (parking)
- Correspondence / CD + 2 / Records Management Society Retention Guidelines for Local Authorities, 2003

17.3 Litigation

17.3.1 Civil

SERIES / RETENTION PERIOD / AUTHORISATION / NOTES
STATUTORY / RECOMMENDED

17.3.1.1

/ Process of managing, undertaking or defending for or against civil litigation on behalf of the local authority
- Civil litigation file
- Officers Reports / S + 6 / S + 7
If litigation involves a child then retain record until the child’s 25th birthday or the recommended period, whichever is the longer / Records Management Society Retention Guidelines for Local Authorities, 2003 / Major litigation offer to archives for review

17.3.2 Commercial

SERIES / RETENTION PERIOD / AUTHORISATION / NOTES
STATUTORY / RECOMMENDED

17.3.2.1

/ Process of managing, undertaking or defending for or against commercial litigation on behalf of the local authority
- Commercial litigation file
- Officers Reports / S + 6 / S + 7 / Records Management Society Retention Guidelines for Local Authorities, 2003 / Major litigation offer to archives for review

17.3.3 Criminal

SERIES / RETENTION PERIOD / AUTHORISATION / NOTES
STATUTORY / RECOMMENDED

17.3.3.1

/ Process of managing, undertaking or defending for or against criminal litigation on behalf of the local authority
- Criminal litigation file / S + 6 / S + 7
If litigation involves a child then retain record until the child’s 25th birthday or the recommended period, whichever is the longer / Records Management Society Retention Guidelines for Local Authorities, 2003 / Major litigation offer to archives for review

17.3.4 Debt Recovery

SERIES / RETENTION PERIOD / AUTHORISATION / NOTES
STATUTORY / RECOMMENDED

17.3.4.1

/ Process of managing, undertaking or defending for or against litigation on behalf of the local authority
- Debt recovery file
- Officers Reports
- Bailiff file / S + 6 / S + 7 / Records Management Society Retention Guidelines for Local Authorities, 2003 / Major litigation offer to archives for review

17.3.5 Precedent Cases

SERIES / RETENTION PERIOD / AUTHORISATION / NOTES
STATUTORY / RECOMMENDED

17.3.5.1

/ Process of managing, undertaking or defending for or against litigation on behalf of the local authority where a precedent is set / S + 6 / S + 7
If litigation involves a child then retain record until the child’s 25th birthday or the recommended period, whichever is the longer / Records Management Society Retention Guidelines for Local Authorities, 2003 / Major litigation offer to archives for review

17.4 Management of Legal Activities

17.4.1 Agreements

SERIES / RETENTION PERIOD / AUTHORISATION / NOTES
STATUTORY / RECOMMENDED

17.4.1.1

/ Process of agreeing terms between organisations
(Note: this does not include contractual agreements)
- Concordat / T + 6 / Records Management Society Retention Guidelines for Local Authorities, 2003

17.4.1.2

/ Process of agreeing ownership between organisations
(Note: this does not include contractual agreements)
- Proof of ownership files / T + 6 / Records Management Society Retention Guidelines for Local Authorities, 2003

17.4.2 Conveyancing

SERIES / RETENTION PERIOD / AUTHORISATION / NOTES
STATUTORY / RECOMMENDED

17.4.2.1

/ Process of changing ownership of land or property
- Conveyancing files / CD + 12 / 1) Limitation Act, 1980
2) Records Management Society Retention Guidelines for Local Authorities, 2003

17.4.2.2

/ Records relating to the rental agreements of council buildings, council houses, allotments, garages, commercial properties, wayleaves and land
- Tenancy agreements / T + 12 / Records Management Society Retention Guidelines for Local Authorities, 2003

17.4.3 Copyright

SERIES / RETENTION PERIOD / AUTHORISATION / NOTES
STATUTORY / RECOMMENDED

17.4.3.1

/ Copyright Agreements
- Requests to photograph/ copy items / C + 80 / Current Practice

17.5 Planning Controls

17.5.1 Certificate of Lawful Use or Development

SERIES / RETENTION PERIOD / AUTHORISATION / NOTES
STATUTORY / RECOMMENDED

17.5.1.1

/ Lawful Development Certificate / Permanent / 1) Town and Country Planning Act, 1980
2) Records Management Society Local Government Classification Scheme (Consultation v 2.01), 2006 / Offer to archives

17.5.1.2

/ Records relating to the Lawful Development Certificate / Date of agreement + 12 / 1) Limitation Act, 1980
2) Records Management Society Local Government Classification Scheme (Consultation v 2.01), 2006

17.5.2 Section 106 Agreements

SERIES / RETENTION PERIOD / AUTHORISATION / NOTES
STATUTORY / RECOMMENDED

17.5.2.1

/ Section 106 Agreement / Permanent / 1) Town and Country Planning Act, 1980
2) Records Management Society Local Government Classification Scheme (Consultation v 2.01), 2006

17.5.2.2

/ Records relating to a planning obligation or legal agreement made under section 106 Town and Country Planning Act 1990 / Date of agreement + 12 / 1) Limitation Act, 1980
2) Records Management Society Local Government Classification Scheme (Consultation v 2.01), 2006

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